"I Shot The Sheriff" lyrics

I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no no
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no no

All around in my home town
They're tryin' to track me down
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of a deputy
For the life of a deputy
But I say
Oh, no no no

I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defence, oh no no
I shot the sheriff, oh Lord
They say it was a capital offence
Hear that

Sheriff John Brown always hated me
For what, I don't know
Every time I plant a seed
He said kill it before it grow
He said kill them before they grow, so
Hear it on the news!

I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defence, oh no no (Where was the deputy?)
I shot the sheriff
But I swear it was in self-defence, yeah

Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town, yeah yeah
All of a sudden I saw Sheriff John Brown
Aiming to shoot me down
So, I shot, I shot, I shot him down
If I am guilty I will pay

I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no no
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no no

Reflexes got the better of me
And what is to be must be
Every day the bucket a-go a-well
One day the bottom a-go drop out
One day the bottom a-go drop out
I say

I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, no no no
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no yeah
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no no
I shot the sheriff (Where was the deputy?)
But I didn't shoot no deputy
Hear it on the news!

Yeah